Monticello track and field continues to roll with solid performances in Cortez, Blanding

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
The Monticello High School track and field teams traveled to Cortez, CO on April 10 to compete in the annual Bob Archibeque Invitational.
The Lady Buckaroos scored an impressive 183 points, defeating host Montezuma-Cortez Lady Panthers by 18 points to win the girls team championship.
Not surprisingly Monticello was led individually by senior Marlee Mack, who won all four events in which she competed. Mack won the 100-meter dash with in a speedy 13.49.
She took the 100-meter hurdles in 15.94. She came home first in the 300 hurdles in 48.67 and the long jump with a 16’-8” jump.
Sophomore Allie Carling took the 3200 meter championship with a solid run of 13:05.43. She was also second in the 1600 with a 6:06.04 and fourth in the 800 with a 2:53.62.
The Lady Bucks were also dominant in the relay events, winning both the 4x200 and 4x400. They were second in the 4x100 and 4x800.
Junior Maron Freestone was second to teammate Marlee Mack in the 100-meter hurdles with a nice run of 17.44 seconds. She also took second in the high jump when she cleared the bar at 5’1”.
Elise Taylor had a nice day, bringing home second-place hardware in the shot put with her distance of 28 feet, three inches.
Makenna Peterson, Murryn Suttlemyre, and Madi Adair all finished third for the Monticello girls – Peterson with a 6:09.80 run in the 1600, Suttlemyre with a 15:39.59 in the 3200, and Adair with a 79-2.00 in the discus.
Appropriately, four Lady Buckaroos finished fourth in their individual events. Allie Carling crossed the line with a 2.53.62 in the 800. Brenna Baxter ran a 15:42.38 in the 3200 meter.
Lay Petersen finished the 100 hurdles in 18.11 seconds. And Josie Mack ran the 300 hurdles in 52.78 seconds.
Lariah O’Harra brought home a couple of fifth-place finishes. She ran the 100-meter dash in a swift 14.28 seconds and the 200 meter in 29.03. Lay Petersen also finished in fifth place, in the 300-meter hurdles, with a 53.69.
In the boys division Monticello scored 86 points as a team to finished third behind Bayfield (102) and Montezuma-Cortez (148.5).
Sophomore Eli Carling brought home the Buckaroos’ only boys individual championship with a solid 5:03.26 performance in the 1600 meter race. The 4x100 relay team ran a 46.28 to win that event.
Carling also had a second-place finish in the 3200-meter race with his 10:36.49. Brandtson Mack was the runner-up in the 300 hurdles with a 43.25 and the high jump, clearing the bar at 6’1”.
The Monticello boys 4x400 relay team also brought home a silver medal with their performance of 3:49.84.
Carling completed the trifecta with a third-place finish in the 800-meter run when he crossed the line in 2:12.93. Mack was third in the 200-meter dash with his 24.59. And Kooper Nielson was third in the 300 hurdles with a run of 43.48 seconds.
Seth Taylor came in fourth in the 300 hurdles with a solid performance of 43.62 seconds. The boys 4x200 relay team was fifth with their run of 1:44.46.
On Monday, April 13 both Monticello teams stayed close to home to compete in the San Juan Invitational at San Juan High School in Blanding.
Again, the girls were dominant, amassing 215 points to bet the host Lady Broncos by 38. Marlee Mack was the standout with wins in the 100-meter dash (13.41) and 100-meter hurdles (15.90).
She was also part of the 4x400 relay team that took first place in 4:25.30. Josie Mack, Maron Freestone, and Latalia O’Harra were her teammates in that event.
A second Monticello 4x400 team, consisting of Alexandra Marian, Makenna Peterson, and Olivia Plemons finished in second place with their run of 4:45.61.
Allie Carling won an individual championship in the 1600 meter with a 6:05.08. She was second in the 3200 with a 13:47.20.
The Lady Bucks’ sprint medley team of Myah Lewis, Lariah O’Harra, Latalia O’Harra, and Allie Carling won their race, crossing the line in 4:58.57.
The 4x100 relay team was also second. Running in that race was Madi Adair, Myah Lewis, Lariah O’Harra, and Lay Petersen.
Maron Freestone scored three second-place finishes in the 100 hurdles (17.37), 300 hurdles (51.03), and high jump (five feet).
In addition to her strong performances in the relays, Lariah O’Harra won the 200-meter dash with a 29.32 run and she was third in the 100-meter dash with a 13.89.
Makenna Peterson was second in the 1600 with a 6:13.97 and third in the 400 with a 1:09.05. Elise Taylor won the girls shot put competition with a very nice 28 foot, 2.5 inch put. She was fourth in the discus with a 72-5.0.
Josie Mack was third in the 300 hurdles with a 51.40 and fourth in the 100-meter dash with a 14.14. Madi Adair won the girls discus with a very impressive throw of 86 feet, six inches.
Latalia O’Harra finished first in the 400-meter dash, crossing the line in 1:07.55. Xymenah Alvarado took second in the 800 with a 3:08.40.
The Buckaroo boys scored 154 points to finish second as a team, 78 points behind San Juan. The relay teams led the way with wins in the 4x100 and 4x400.
Competing in the 4x100 for the Monticello boys was Cash Mack, Jaeden Camacho, Kord Young, and Brandtson Mack. In the 4x400 it was Seth Taylor, Kooper Nielson, Jaeden Camacho, and Thomas Morrison.
Charlie Welch collected 16 points to lead the team individually. He was third in the 400 with a 1:00.58, third in the 800 with a 2:28.46, and fourth in the 1600 with a 5:28.78.
Brandtson Mack was second in the 100-meter dash with an 11.90 and second in the 200 with a 24.28. Eli Carling took second in the 800 (2:14.69) and third in the 1600 (5:08.65).
Seth Taylor was third in the 110 hurdles with a 17.43 and third in the 300 hurdles with a 42.59. McKay Nielson was third in the long jump (16-5.25), fourth in the 110 hurdles (20.33), and fifth in the 300 hurdles (53.02).
Jaeden Camacho finished the 100-meter dash in 11.90 to take second and he was fourth in the 200 with a 24.67. Kord Young came home second in the high jump, clearing the bar at five feet, seven inches.
The Monticello track and field teams are back in action this Friday, April 17 when they head to Castle Dale to compete in the Eastern Utah Championships hosted by Emery High School.